Most people want to save energy, lower their utility bills and be kind to the environment. How can the average person accomplish all three objectives? One good way is by using compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). Some people might be reluctant to use them, thinking about the humming, flickering varieties so often found in offices. But, technology has caught up with lighting and most of these old problems are no longer worrisome.
CFLs may be more expensive in the short-term, since they cost quite a bit more than regular incandescent bulbs. However, they more than pay for themselves, since they last, on average, about five times longer than incandescent bulbs, and use about two-thirds less energy. This certainly results in energy savings, which also translates into lower utility bills. In fact, according to the U.S. government’s Energy Star Web site, a CFL may save the homeowner as much as $30 in energy bills over the life of the bulb. That’s just one bulb! Imagine what the energy savings would be if say, five of the most frequently used bulbs were replaced with CFLs!
CFL bulbs are also safer than incandescent or halogen bulbs. They produce as much light, but with less heat generation. Halogen and incandescent bulbs get very hot on the surface. CFLs, however, remain cool, lessening the chance of fire if something touches the light bulb.
Another advantage of the CFL is its long life, but for quite another reason. For homeowners who have ceiling fans or light fixtures in hard-to-reach areas, CFLs can be a lifesaver. Since these bulbs last so much longer, homeowners do not have to change them as frequently. When the ceiling fan is at the top of a 20-foot cathedral ceiling, this is a good thing. They also burn much cooler than bulbs used in typical track lighting, so again, the safety factor comes into play.
CFLs will provide warm or cool light, and to get the same amount of light as an incandescent bulb, a homeowner just has to check the number of lumens the bulb provides. For example, a 75-watt bulb provides over 1,100 lumens. To replace it with a CFL, the homeowner would just need to look for a CFL with a comparable lumen output. This information is readily available on every box of light bulbs, regardless of the kind.
With all these savings in energy provided by a CFL, benefits to the environment naturally follow. In fact, the Energy Star Web site estimates that, if every household in the U.S. replaced just one frequent-use incandescent bulb with a CFL, that it would equal taking 1 million automobiles off the road, in lessening pollution. If every household replaced five frequent-use bulbs, the estimate says that greenhouse gases would be reduced by 1 trillion pounds each year. That’s a lot of gas that isn’t being released into the air.
Technology has also improved the quality of CFLs. Those approved by Energy Star are quiet, long-lasting and provide a steady light. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit almost any light fixture available.
So, to lower energy bills, conserve energy and help the environment, do something good for it: use compact fluorescent light bulbs. With benefits like these, no one loses.
